I started driving tractor/trailer trucks in 1984 as a flatbed steel hauler for Bethlehem Steel, in the Philadelphia area. By 1986, I had become a 48 state, transcontinental Driver and [true] Owner Operator. I learned from a Owner Operator on a conventional [butterfly hood] - 18speed - manual steering, [model 351] Peterbilt with a truly "turned-up" 8V92 Detroit Diesel engine.
My channel is all about being a Professional Driver. Here, the focus is on the Trucking and Transporter Lifestyle.
Since 1984 I have also learned that earning your Commercial Driver License is only the beginning of becoming a true Professional Driver.
@@roballen2378, Thanks for the reply! And yes - neither of those items of modern tech was anywhere close to being around back in the day! 😉 Be safe and thanks for being a subscriber! 👍🏾🚛😎
Hello and thank you Gregory Burks, your comments are both kind and encouraging. I think about my viewers, followers, new Drivers and subscribers quite often. It is my desire to shine some light into those [otherwise] dark corners for others. 👍🏾😎🚛
I’ve seen people slam to a stop to break check a truck. 4 wheeler did it to me twice when I had a loaded box truck. No damage, but he was trying to cause accidents for sure. Be careful out there. People be crazier.
Very good and vital information for young drivers traversing mountain ranges. Especially coming thru Wyoming, Utah, Oregon as well as the Sierra Nevada regions. Weather changes road conditions with no warning until your in trouble. Always downshift when driving downhill, instead of using that Jake brake..or you WILL be looking for an escape ramp. Be smart, be proactive and never rush. Your life is more important than that load.
Hello 👋🏿 I am glad I can be of service to you in one way or another as you start this next phase of your life's journey! 🎊 Congratulations are in order! 🎊 ...these are quite possibly the best years of your life! 😉 Mastering certain aspects of your new career will lead you towards [basically] getting paid to travel 🤑 and live a lifestyle that you enjoy! Be safe and stay in touch, don't hesitate to use my email! 👍🏿🚛😎
I'm not a trucker, but I subscribed to your channel to listen to the positive outlook you always bring to the camera. Keep posting. You inspire me, brother.
Sir, I did. Right out of CDL school into flatbed for a Chicago Ukrainian company. Company driver. First year $98,000. That was 3 1/2 years ago. I still don’t know 1/10 of 1/10 about trucking. I’m humble though.
Thank you for replying and subscribing! Unfortunately, it's a little hard to answer your question 😕 There are only 168 hours within seven days, which would mean a person would have to work continously without sleeping. What are your real concerns?
Yes... over the years I have learned that showing others that I am helpful - and not gullible has left a favorable and respectful impression of myself in the minds of others! Thank you for sharing your experiences. 👋🏾🚛😎
@@transporter828 exactly show initiative and be dependable on time respectful goes a long way but don't get taken advantage of know when to put your foot down and take no shit
OG! Man this needed to be said! Too many brothers do all this imagining and talking for years but don’t have their CDL yet. I’m telling them how you’re going to buy this big house and investment properties you’re talking about, making all this money, but yet have not been thru the anxiety and behind the wheel like us truckers 🤔 It’s a crawl, walk, and run phase like a baby
Get some Magnesium and Manganese. It'll help you get those stones to break up and pass. But, it's still gonna hurt. I've been through kidney stones and I'm a driver. I know what you're about to go through. Oh, and stop the energy drinks. Switch to coffee! You can thank me later by not dying on the road.!
This career is called a Grind for a reason. If you're not willing to grind it out to get to the 6-figure level, youre wasting your time. The trucks are slow and so is the pay. Its a boring job. You can't rush this job. If you try to rush this job, you'll end up in a ditch and if you're lucky, you won't have killed the family in front of you.
Great points, many see trucking as a hustle not as a career, so they go in trying to hustle as much money as they can and get upset that they’re not making TOP dollar after 6 months of graduating lol, Unlike teachers doctors police officers etc who see their jobs as worthwhile careers that they respect! So they actually fight for better conditions in their jobs! Lol not quit! Good point about many bitter senior drivers who discourage younger drivers. If I listened to some of them I’d quit before I even take my CDL. They make truck drivers seem like they’re paid the same as McDonald’s fry cooks 🤦🏾♂️
Hello and thank you for your comments! Certainly, I have never viewed a Professional Driver as a side hustle at all. I've made great money by using my driving skills. As for those bitter individuals; as you have already done, I wouldn't give them the opportunity to deposit negativity into your life. People with a continually negative outlook and understanding of life's situations can be both emotionally and physically draining.
Let’s be honest, truckers as a whole do not make the money they made in the 1970’s. I believe a lot of people buy into the hype that is spewed out by the media, mega carriers, and trucking school recruiters. They jump into this industry with big dreams, sign up for a lease contract, and then after six months they realize they are broke. With the way the trucking industry is set up, it is extremely hard for people to make truly good money. It can be done… I am making decent money, but it took me a long time to get here. The only way I can see drivers leveling the playing field again is to get rid of this system where we are only paid by the mile. That system is outdated. We now know exactly how many hours each driver is working through the ELD. Drivers should be paid by the hour for all hours worked. Of course this is going to cost shippers a lot more. Freight rates will have to go up across the board for everyone. Then truckers can be paid what they are worth. Drivers compare their wages to McDonald’s be they are not paid for a lot of their time. Such a change would IMMEDIATELY end all of that.
You started driving trucks before I was born OG! Lol, you’ve seen it all in trucking! Def gonna be requesting help when the time is right big bro! So far so good with the info! Keep it coming.
I don’t think my wife likes the idea of me being a trucker but she likes the idea of the money that comes along with the industry especially being that I’m just getting my work permit (Yes immigrant here). I realize there’s a notion that we’re here to take jobs away from Americans which is just not true, people just want to integrate into a better economy, and add to it (in my case atleast) in fact it’s Americans who don’t want to drive trucks like they used to in the 90’s. It’s like the culture of trucking has changed, there’s currently a shortage of truck drivers. 80k drivers are needed in the industry right now. That says a lot about how younger people see the lifestyle of truckers. Anyhow great content as usual! See you on the road when I get my cdl !!!!!
Thank you for your comments and sharing your thoughts here. Yes, we are a capitalistic society, that fact has been the foundation and the model for business here since 1776. Thinking and learning [honest] methods of self-improvement is an extremely important thing to pursue. The United States is one of the best places to get a "step up" in life! 😎👍🏾🚛
Great story very inspiring and its called manifesting abundance in this universe. I think so anyways. Yes as a newbie I struggle with backing. I have though had a lot of excellent instruction just not enough practice. I have to get out and look a lot. My other problem since I started is having a lot of time off due to unavoidable appointments. Anyway really like your videos. thanks for sharing
I’m in California and I am currently doing thorough research before I start trucking school, I’m still saving up the funds to go. I am inspired by you truckers who make content explaining how to drive and especially the nuances of driving a truck. Give thanks
Thank you for subscribing, liking and commenting here Soursop7810. As a subscriber, you will always be notified when there is new content to see. Be safe and I trust you will reach your goals soon! O.G. 👍🏾🚛😎
Good for you man. What I see in trucking today is that we-as truckers-do not help one another anymore. I understand why, because the whole of society does not help each other any longer either. Most people don’t know their neighbors, and don’t get involved in others business, not even to lend a helping hand. I really feel for those new drivers out there that have enough humility to admit that they don’t know it all and want to learn more-and quite honestly, most of them seem to be women, because they aren’t walking around with a sense of bravado. So, hats off to you for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience.😎
Good morning HaulingDonkey👋🏽 Thank you for your kind words of encouragement, they are greatly appreciated! I also see many aspects of our society from a similar perspective as you've mentioned here. Again, thank you! O.G. 👍🏾🚛😎
So am I not suppose to activate my 4-way flashers whenever I’m going 40 something mph and it’s not an emergency? Usually have them on when I’m going up a hill/mtn. I was told it’s a rule to do so to alert drivers I am slow moving.
Good evening, just finished with my day of driving. I appreciate your question. You actually have more than one question that requires more than one answer, 😏 so here you go. First in the case of this video, the act of driving in the rain is not an emergency. During low visibility situations, as approaching drivers get closer to the rear of another vehicle, the "natural" and "safe" instinct is to slow to a safe following distance. When that same driver comes upon a vehicle with 4-way flashers on, that natural instinct is in effect - but with the cautionary/life preserving desire to find a way to move "around" or from behind that vehicle with the 4-way flashers on. In the United States,, we are taught to, "Pass On The Left" when overtaking another moving vehicle. As you can imagine, there would be a ridiculous, sudden and dangerous grouping of cars suddenly attempting to move to their left - in a low visibility situation - all moving at highway speeds. There is a ripple effect to sudden braking and rapid lane changes. "4-way hazzard" blinkers are not intended for such uses. Simply turning on your headlights whenever you activate your windshield wipers [rain,snow,sleet,fog] will activate the tail lights. Tail/brake lights are both red in color while turn signal/4-ways are amber in color, they are actually not any brighter than the red brake lights (when those "brake" lights are activated.) The bulbs or LED's are of the same wattage or lumens, just different colors. The amber color is designed to convey that there is an "emergency" or "unusual" situation ahead or in the vicinity. When seeing 4-way flashers, many to most drivers are expecting the [flashing] vehicle ahead to be in search of a place to stop that vehicle. That is why they will attempt to go around that vehicle. Which brings us to trucks and hills. Honestly... it is a way for the highway safety organizations to "bridge the gap" of ignorance for non-CDL license holders about the tendencies and movement characteristics of Class 8 trucks. Most of the motoring public has no idea that a truck can rapidly slow down while it is ascending a hill. Thus... the mandated use of "4-way Emergency Flashers" - This [enforceable] law is an attempt to alert the non-educated motorist about the danger that is in front of them. These types of drivers are held to a lesser or lower standard of driving capabilities as well as situational awareness than [Class 8] Commercial Truck Drivers. I hope this helps and answers your question(s) 👍🏾🚛😎 *** If you haven't already, please like and subscribe to this channel, thank you! ***
While staying legal, how much more should the drive tires be compared to the tandems? I heard you mention 60/40..do you mind elaborating on that please? Also is there a way to prevent the RPMs from revving whenever I do engage the Jake brake? Is it because I’m already going too fast for the Jake brake to catch up?
Sure thing... when you scale your load, your drive axles should show more weight than your trailer tandems. The "60/40" discusses how forklift or crane operators like to load a trailer. But even with a light load - let's say 30,600lbs. You will never be over gross weight, [80,000] but you could be over on your drives / steer axles. About the Jake Brakes... Are you driving a manual transmission or the computer shifted "automatic" transmission? Your question seems as if you are driving a manual transmission. 🤔 If you are shifting gears manually, you need to slow down "sooner" based on the % of the grade - your weight and your desired decent speed... BEFORE engaging your Jake. If you are driving the automatic, there should be no problem or concerns with high revs if all is operating correctly. IF your tach is in the red zone of RPM's on your automatic, it will be OK (and advised) to leave the Jake engaged as you ALSO use your service brake pedal to slow your engine speed down - by simultaneously decreasing your MPH. There is a lot of info - and many details - I simply don't know about your Jake Brake question to give the best answer for you. (Details are important with this question) 👍🏾🚛😎 And thank you for being a subscriber!
The real world scenarios that you are showing are helping to give all that's tuned in a further indepth understanding as to what we encounter while out here on the road. Godspeed and continued success to you sir.
Hello again... yes, you are welcome. I'm just doing what I can to help other Drivers. I have gained a lot of accurate knowledge over the years, so what good is my knowledge if I simply keep it to myself?
🤔 Wow... that makes 2 of us, I sure would like to see them! Maybe it's something in your settings...? Either way, thank you for being a subscriber and I trust that the videos are of help to you! 👍🏾🚛😎
